Traction-wheel



(No Model.)

L.- EMPIE. TRACTION WHEEL.

No. 438,411. Patented 001;. 14, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAVVRENOE EMPIE, OF BIRNAMWOOD, WISCONSIN.

TRACTION-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,411, dated October14,1890.

Application filed July 25, 1890. Serial No. 359,894. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE EMPIE, of Birnamwoochin the countyofShawano, and in the State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Traction- VVheels; and Ido hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to traction-Wheels; and it consists in certainpeculiarities of construction and combination of parts, to behereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, andsubsequently claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of mytraction-wheel, and Fig. 2 a section on line 2 2 of the precedingfigure.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A represents a portion of amachine-frame provided with bearings 19 for the axle B of a wheel, therim O of the latter being provided at regular intervals with transverseslots 0 for engagement with spurs or blades D,formed on the outer endsof shanks E, that have their inner ends arranged in radial sockets dinthe hub F of said wheel. Sleeved on the shanks and secured thereto bymeans of set-screws e are lateral arms G, that project through loops 0 fon a ring H, that is bolted to spokes g of the Wheel, as bestillustrated in Fig. 2, and arranged on said shanks between the armsthereon and the hub F ofsaid wheel are I spiral springs I, that exertsufficient power to hold the traction-blades D to their work and at thesame time allow said blades to yield when coming into cont-act with astone or other unusually hard substance, the loops f on the ring Hacting as stops to limit the movement of said arms in either direction.

The frame A is provided with a bearing J for a stud h on a lever K, andthe latter is held in its adjusted position by a springlatch i, engaginga notched bracket L on said frame. The lever K is provided with an armM, having a right-angle portion N extended across the periphery of thewheel, and said lever being depressed the extended portion of its armcomes close to said periphery of the wheel in the path of the blades Dand acts as a scraper to remove mud or other accumulations, said bladesbeing drawn in out of the way, by the arms G on the shanks E coming intocontact with the aforesaid lever. Raising of the lever K brings it outof the way of the shank-arms G and elevates the scraper to clear thetraction-blades.

Bolted to the spokes g of the wheel is a gear-wheel P, designed to meshwith a pinion, (not shown,) whereby power is communicated to themachine.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- 1 1. A traction-wheel having the rimthereof provided at intervals with transverse slots, blades engaging theslots and having continuous shanks loosely arranged in the wheelhub,sleeves fast on the shanks, and spiral springs arranged on said shanksbetween the sleeves and said wheel-hub, substantially as set forth.

2. A traction-wheel having blades normally extended through the rimthereof and provided with spring-controlled shanks, lateral arms on theshanks, a lever arranged to be brought in and out of the path of thearms, and a scraper-arm fast to the lever and extended across theperiphery of said wheel, substantially as set forth.

3. A traction-W11 eel having blades normally extended through the rimthereof and provided with spring-controlled shanks, lateral arms on theshanks, a ring secured to the wheel-spokes and provided with loopsengaging the arms, a lever arranged to be brought in and out of the pathof said arms, and a scraper-arm fast to the lever and extended acrossthe periphery of said wheel, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set myhand, atBirnamwood,in the county of Shawano and State of Wisconsin, in'thepresence of two withesses.

. LAWRENCE EMPIE.

W'itnesses:

G. H. FULLER, M. H. DREIER.

